English Machine Translation

Between the past and future

Krasnoyarsk missionaries in Beijing

Returning a name: Ivan Apollonovich Figurovsky

" Tribunes on skill to inspire the ideas, the scientist on
knowledge and a bogatyr on appearance, it at once was able to gain listeners
", " possessing a bewitching exterior and remarkable enough gift for speaking
" - here typical responses of contemporaries about one of outstanding figures
in history of Russian Orthodox Church, our fellow countryman, krasnojartse - metropolitan
Beijing and Chinese Innokentii(Figurovskom). Volejusudeb the Yenisei ground has given the world of
the devotee and the adherent of Orthodoxy, managed to inform word Bozhie up to Chinese people
and to lay the foundation the Chinese Orthodox Church.

On April, 4th, 1719 from Yeniseisk metropolitan Feodor (Filofej) has written the
letter to the governor of Siberia Gagarin: " there Is a hope for glorification
of name Bozhija among
Chineses... ashche yours sijatelstvopriimeshi on Boze jealousy, with preosv. Stefanom (Yavorskys) having
advised, report on Its Imperial Majesty, and, having selected the kind and wise
person, there in an empire Chinese will send not zamedlja. Ashche though and a grade arhierejskimpochtite, and to clergy with it
the person 15 poslati...
"

The Maintenance of the letter of the Siberian metropolitan has
been reported to Peter I which completely has approved this idea. Its have
supported and Board of Spiritual affairs, and the Senate. As the candidate on a
place of bishop in Beijing laurels Innokenty(Kulchitsky), nobleman, the native from Malorossii, the pupil of the
Kiev spiritual academy, postrizhennyj in a nunhood in kievo-ia?a?neie laurels have
been chosen naval ober-ea?iiiiao Aeaenaia?i-Neva. In the spring 1721
father Innokenty has been
named and hirotonisan in
bishop Perejaslavskogo and has left to Siberia. All attempts to reach Beijing have
appeared unsuccessful, and in January, 1727 in Petersburg the decision to leave
bishop Innokentija in Irkutsk where it and worked was accepted, educating local
godless ljud and
foreigners, before the death which have come in 1731. In 1804 after great
miracles which were made on a pray to prelate Innokentiju and after imperishable power in its
wonderful image showed itself, having escaped in a fire, the first chapter of
the Irkutsk diocese has been canonized. Much managed to be made Innokentiju Irkutsk, but the
assignment given by Peter I and the Sacred Synod, it was fated to execute to
another.

The Person who has managed, despite of all obstacles to embody
Peter's I dream and to bring light of Orthodoxy to people of China, was born
later almost one and a half centuries in the center of Russian empire, on
Angara. The future metropolitan Beijing and Chinese was born in village Panovskom
of the Yenisei district of the Yenisei province. In the world it called Ivan
Apollonovich Figurovsky. Till now the name of this outstanding person is not
known krasnojartsam. In
the rare publications, devoted histories of Orthodox Church in China, it is
inexact date of its birth is underlined. And in general nothing is spoken about
the Krasnoyarsk period of its life. Working in archives, I managed to find the
interesting data, concerning this period, the history of the whole dynasty of
clerics Figurovskih has
opened.

As records from kept in the State archive of Krasnoyarsk region
of the metric book testify, on February, 22nd, 1863 in family of priest
Kiriko-Iulitinskoj of church of village Panovskogo of Apollo Figurovskogo and
the lawful wife of its Matron Gavrilovny the son was born. On February, 24th it
was kreshchen and John,
in honour of IonnaKrestitelja is named by a name.
God at Ivan Figurovskogo became the Yenisei petty bourgeois Stepan Andreevich
Kochnev and krestjanka
villages Kovriginoj of volost Elovskoj Eudoxia Nikolaevna Zubkova.

The Ancient Siberian village Panovskoe has been located on
right I protect Angara, in 46 versts from Kezhemskogo volost board. At that time it was the
center of the arrival opened still in 1787 and entered in blagochinie of priest Paul
Debrskogo. In family of priest Kiriko-Iulitinskoj of church Apollo (Apollonija) Iosifovicha and Matrons
Gavrilovny Figurovskih there were some children. By the way, except for Ivan the
appreciable trace in history was left by its senior brother Vasily and younger
brother Paul.

Senior brother Ivan, Vasily Apollonovich Figurovsky, was born
in 1851 on a former place of service of Apollo Iosifovicha, in village
Krasnoyarsk of Kuznetsk district of Tomsk province. And there began father
Appolony the service, by the way, on Altai, on southern border of Russian
settlements, near to border of the Chinese empire. After the termination of the
Irkutsk theological seminary the senior son Figurovskih served as the priest at
many tserkvah: at SisimskojTroitskoj, karaulno-ino?i?neie Spasskoj, Torgashinskoj Nikolaev, and
with 1885 - ArejskojTroitskoj. From the end
of XIX century within more than two decades archpriest Vasily Figurovsky was
decent in Krasnoyarsk district, constantly worked in various educational
institutions and missionary societies.

In Vasily Apollonovicha and Maria Grigorevny Figurovskih's
family there were some children. The greatest popularity in the Yenisei province
was received by the senior sons, Alexander and Ivan. To Alexander Vasilevichu
Figurovskomu who has ended in 1885 the Tomsk theological seminary with the
recommendation in Spiritual academy, the short century, only 33 years have been
released. In 1907 has interrupted a terrestrial way of father Alexander - the
priest Krasnoyarsk to the Virgin-christmas of a cathedral, a member of the
Yenisei spiritual consistory, a member of Advice and the teacher of Law Bozhija of Krasnoyarsk
eparchial female school, a member of Krasnoyarsk district branch Yenisei
eparchial uchilishchnogo
advice, the secretary of an orthodox brotherhood of Christmas Presvjatoj of the Virgin and a
member of Krasnoyarsk branch of the Orthodox missionary society. Its brother -
Ivan Vasilevich Figurovsky too has ended the Tomsk theological seminary, then
and the Moscow spiritual academy, has received a degree of the candidate of
divinity and worked in various educational institutions of Krasnoyarsk. Per
1917-1918 Ivan Vasilevich accepted active participation in work pomestnogo of the Cathedral of
Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow.

But we shall return to Ivan Apollonovichu Figurovskomu. By time
of its birth parents were already elderly, to the mother 40 years were executed.
In 1879 when Ivan studied in the Tomsk theological seminary, Matron Gavrilovna
ovdovela and has moved to
the senior son. Later the mother the Matron postriglas in a nunhood also has got over to the son
to Beijing where it esteemed by all already as inokinjaManefa, has died in 1911 Younger brother Ivan
Apollonovicha - Paul Apollonovich Figurovsky in 1883 has ended Krasnoyarsk
spiritual school. It consisted as the novice at Arhierejskom the house, and in 1885 has been
appointed to a place psalomshchika a cathedral. In the further Paul
Apollonovich Figurovsky too has cast in the lot with China, under supervision of
the senior brother served in China - in Port Arthur, in Harbin, in Beijing and
Shanghai. Priest Paul Figurovsky, as well as some other Krasnoyarsk clerics, has
rendered the considerable help to the senior brother - to prelate Innokentiju in
business of distribution of Orthodoxy in China.

The future prelate has received the Elementary education in
Krasnoyarsk in spiritual school. Representation about this educational
institution in 70th of XIX century can be received from the report of bishop
Yenisei and Krasnoyarsk which, in particular, reported to Petersburg: " For
gradual and uniform spiritual development of pupils in uchilishchnyh libraries there
is a sufficient number of books for reading at children's and youthful age. On
zapiskam teachers pupils
received books fundamental uchilishchnoj libraries for the term of and in read
through gave the report. For a management of pupils in reading conscious and
expressive teachers of the school, mainly commanding arranged for them reading
on History, Bible, Church, Russian Civil, on the Geography, accompanied with
paper pictures. For physical development, except for room and air gymnastics,
pupils walked and worked in the sadike, and in good weather vesnoju, in the autumn and
zimoju have been deduced
on walks for city on walks, under supervision commanding, skated in the winter,
on sankah from a hill.
For development of taste - were engaged in singing and igroju on skripkah, openwork work, cut
patterns from a plate on figures. And for advantage in the future - were engaged
in binding skill ". In 1878 Ivan Figurovsky has ended Krasnoyarsk spiritual
school and has acted in the Tomsk theological seminary where studied the
Scriptus, literature, general civil history, algebra, geometry, the doctrine
about prayer books, latin, Greek and Tatar languages. In 1882 at transition in
5-th class it has left under the application the Tomsk theological seminary and
has returned to the Yenisei province.

In 1883 Ivan Figurovsky has been certain on a post psalomshchika to BalahtinskojVvedenskoj churches Achinskogo
of district. In documents of church for the first time its signature appears
under " the Search marriage " from April, 24th, 1883. In Balahte the church in the name
of Introduction in temple Presvjatoj of the Virgin has been opened in 1780. It
was stone and with a stone belltower, had pridel in the name of Nikolay Chudotvortsa
Mirlikijskogo. That is significant, was here and pridel in the name of prelate Innokentija Irkutsk,
opened in 1858. Under the schedule from April, 30th, 1877 the staff prichta consisted of the prior,
the assistant and two psalomshchikov, the same staff was kept and in 1883.
The prior of church was known and authoritative 47-years priest Peter
Andreevich Simonov, the son of the priest, comes from the Barnaul district of
Tomsk volost. Long time father Peter was decent, and in 1883 has been selected
by chairman of Eparchial congress of clergy on affairs eparchial
spiritually-educational institutions. Together with the wife Matron Alekseevnoj
they had three sons, the senior from which, the Laurels, in 1883 already studied
in Krasnoyarsk spiritual school, and four daughters.

And so, in November, 1883 Ivan Figurovsky also has got married
to the senior daughter of prior Vvedenskoj of church Peter Simonov, 18-years
Anna. The witness from the bride was the graduate of Krasnoyarsk spiritual
school, younger brother Ivan - Paul Figurovsky, and " made a search ", that is
registered marriage, the native uncle - priest Torgashinskoj of the Nikolaev
church of Krasnoyarsk district Vasily Apollonovich Figurovsky. Family Simonovyh
has not for long lived in Balahte. In June, 1886 Peter Andreevich has died in
Krasnoyarsk after heavy illness, bishop read the burial service over it in a
cathedral. Matron Alekseevna has remained at a cathedral, the son Laurels, after
reception diakonskogo a
dignity has borrowed in lawyer practice in Achinsk, other son, George, has acted
in the St.-Petersburg university.

In 1884 Ivan Apollonovich Figurovsky has been devoted in presvitersky a dignity, imposed
in priests to Derbinskoj
Sacred Prophet Ilii of church (proroko-eeueineie churches). Derbinskyproroko-eeueineee the arrival
located near to Balahty,
has been opened in 1859, arrival included village Derbinskoe and 7 villages.
Originally the center of arrival was church in the village Ezagash, constructed
in 1864 with support of the owner of a distillary And. Of Schegolev. In village
Derbinskom church have constructed in 1869, the center of arrival it became in
1876 after transfer Ezagashskoj of church to possession of the
Krasnoyarsk man's grammar school. The church consecrated in honour of Prophet
Ilii, was wooden, odnoprestolnoj, church pricht consisted of the priest and psalomshchika.

In February, 1885 Ivan Figurovsky has been moved from Derbinskogo in verhne-eo?aaa?neee pokrovsky arrival. Ivan
Apollonovich, volejusudeb and the church
heads, has got on the edge of Russian ground, further the village Verhne-Kuzhebarskogo up to the
border with China was not Russian settlements. It is interesting, that a quarter
centuries ago in the same edges after the termination of the Tobolsk seminary
there has arrived as the priest of marching church on gold crafts Amylskoj of system its
father-in-law Peter Andreevich Simonov. verhne-eo?aaa?neo? pokrovskuju the church was constructed in 1854 by
immigrants of the Oryol province, Russian immigrants and made all population of
arrival. Ivan Apollonovich has appeared on border with China, but during this
period about missionary work among the population of the next empire of speech
did not go at all. Still in " the Report of Krasnoyarsk Eparchial Committee of
the Orthodox Missionary Society for 1901 " in occasion of verhne-oneineiai it was marked:
"... The Chinese citizens sometimes come into this village - pagans Sojoty; but mission of the
Christian sermon in relation to them has no fruits as they visit village Verhne-Usinskoe only travel for
barter, to their settlements to the Russian missionary to go it is impossible ".

In the extreme south of the Yenisei province Ivan Apollonovich
Figurovsky worked not for long. In the beginning 1886 " the Yenisei eparchial
sheets " have informed, that on December, 19th, 1885 " the Priest of village
Kuzhebarskogo, district Minusinskogo John Figurovsky... It is deducted from a
post under the application ".

With 1886 begins a new stage of a life of Ivan Figurovskogo, it
leaves Siberia and goes to study in capital. In May, 1886 priest John has been
accepted in number of pupils of 4-th class in a theological seminary in
St.-Petersburg - in city at which sources stood, being then still the iaa?-monk
of the Peter fleet, one of founders Aeaenaia?i-Neva laurels, the future prelate
and Siberian chudotvoretsInnokenty Irkutsk. Sacred
much will be connected with a name of this in Ivan Figurovskogo's life. With
1888 for 1892 it studied in the Petersburg spiritual academy. That became with
wife Anna, it is not known, probably, it was not already in alive, but it is for
certain known, what exactly during study in academy Ivan Figurovsky has decided
to refuse a wordly life and entirely to devote itself to service to the God. In
1890 it was postrizhen in
monks and has accepted name Innokenty, the same name that has accepted Ivan
Kulchitsky, the future prelate Innokenty Irkutsk is no time during the postriga. In 1892 ieromonahInnokenty(Figurovsky) has received a
degree of the candidate of divinity and became the inspector of the
Aeaenaia?i-Neva spiritual school. In 1894 it has been imposed in a dignity of
archimandrite and became the rector of a theological seminary in Petersburg.
Soon became the prior of a second-class monastery, and in 1895 has been
appointed in missionary pokrovsky a monastery in Moscow.

On October, 3rd, 1896 archimandrite Innokentija Figurovskogo
have appointed the chief of 18-th Spiritual mission in Beijing. Under the order of
the iaa?-public prosecutor of the Synod it has gone to China through the Western
Europe, has visited some missionary establishments in London, in Oxford has
visited a unique Protestant missionary monastery, in Paris has familiarized with
work of the missionary seminary prepared experts for work in the Far East, in
Rome has examined a monastery trapistov(molchalnikov), on Athos has tried to persuade local
monks to go to China, it also has visited Palestin and in March, 1897 has
arrived to Beijing.

Finally destiny of prelate Innokentija, the founder of the Chinese Orthodox
Church, was defined in Petersburg where it has been caused for the decision of a
question on the full termination of orthodox missionary activity in China.
However Innokenty(Figurovsky) has defended not
only Orthodoxy in China, but also has revived mission in the name of prelate
Innokentija Irkutsk. On
June, 3rd, 1902 archimandrite Innokenty has been imposed in Aeaenaia?i-Neva
laurels in a dignity of bishop, with assignment of a title - Pereslavsky, according to the
name of the first bishop - Innokentija(Kulchitskogo), appointed in China in 1721

On July, 8th, 1902 members of mission, only 34 persons, have
left Petersburg in two cars specially given for them. On July, 26th, 1902 " the
Yenisei provincial sheets " have informed: " Travel from Petersburg to Beijing on
July, 21st in Krasnoyarsk the chief of the Beijing spiritual mission preosvjashchennyjInnokenty stopped ".
Krasnoyarsk mass media have not given due attention to the outstanding fellow
countryman, probably, it has been caused by absence in province of bishop
Evfimija who has not come back yet from treatment. However bishop Innokenty has not forgotten
about fellow countrymen, after it to China have arrived not only its brother and
the mother, but in 1903 in Beijing the first female orthodox community have
organized poslushnitsy
Krasnoyarsk Znamensky of a female monastery.

In 1921, according to the decision of the Synod and the decree
of patriarch Tihona, lord Innokenty has been erected in a dignity of
archbishop and has soon headed the diocese created in 1922 Beijing and Chinese.
In 1928 lord Innokenty
has been awarded a dignity of metropolitan. In 1931 before the death bishop
Innokenty has seen a
dream: clerics have entered into a room with images, and the lord has asked
them: " In what occasion send with images? " Someone has answered: " To read the
burial service... ". On June, 28th, 1931, it is equal in two centuries after
death Innokentija
Irkutsk, metropolitan Beijing and Chinese Innokenty(Figurovsky) has passed away. It has been buried in
a crypt of church of All Sacred Martyrs in territory of Spiritual mission, then,
before arrival of new authority to Beijing, remains Innokentija were sprjatany under the ground. Somewhere in bowels of
the Chinese ground they remain and to this day.

Orthodoxy in China last decades has gone through hard times,
but recently in territory of embassy of Russia in Beijing on blessing the
Patriarch Moscow and vseja Russia Alex has been established poklonnyj the Cross. From
Russian ground in the center of China where there are remains of prelate
Innokentija Figurovskogo and many other things of our fellow countrymen -
devotees of the ground Yenisei, revival of Orthodoxy in China begins.